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The members of the Seven Summits Women Team/ Screenshot from video on their YouTube channel

It all started with the ‘First Inclusive Women Sagarmatha Expedition 2008 Spring’ which became the most successful Nepali women’s expedition to ever scale Mt Everest in May 2008. The expedition comprised of ten women who broke through socio-cultural barriers to prove their mettle in a patriarchic society. Seven members from diverse ethnic and social backgrounds came together during this expedition and went on to climb five highest peaks in the five continents. Their mission is to climb the highest mountain in each continent; 5 done, 2 to go.

Alan Arnette, climber and mountaineering writer congratulated the team on their successful ascent of Mount Aconcagua, the tallest peak in South America.

The website dedicated to the summiteers details their source of inspiration, motivation and goal.

One ran away from home at 14 to escape a forced marriage. Another was educated, as she was deemed not to be beautiful enough to find a good husband. Hence we not only believe the message we carry but also incorporate school visits, collaboration with local women and learning about local environmental impact as core components of the mission. The goal is to compile the knowledge gained in this historic journey into educational material, which will be distributed, to students worldwide.

Since 2008, the group has visited over 150 schools not only in Nepal but across five continents, speaking to around 20,000 students about their own journey of struggle, success and bigger dreams. Under their mission to promote women empowerment, the group encourages, supports and guides women of all ages and nationalities to hike, train and explore the outdoors along with them; their belief – “exploring your own limit is the only way to empowerment”.

Less than 350 people in the world have climbed the seven summits, which include all the highest peaks in each of the seven continents. Out of them only 51 are women and till now nobody from Nepal has achieved this feat.

With the scaling of Mt Everest in Asia, Mt Kosciuszko in Australia, Mt Elbrus in Europe, Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mt Aconcagua in South America, the seven women are only two peaks away to reaching their goal. Abiding with their motto ‘Together We Reach Higher’ they want to publish the knowledge gained in the seven continents into educational material to be distributed worldwide to young students.

Thumbnail image of the Seven Summits Women's Team members taken from the group's Facebook page